Police safety blitz targets commercial vehicles

Inspectors look for mechanical problems in trucks and taxis

Police inspect a tractor-trailer that was seen spewing white smoke on Monday morning. (Linda Ward/CBC)

Police from across the Greater Toronto Area launched a two-day safety blitz Monday with a focus on catching safety violations on commercial vehicles.

Reporting from Etobicoke Monday morning, CBC's Linda Ward said officers from a handful of different police forces were busy pulling over vehicles and directing them to a parking lot where Ministry of Transportation staff were inspecting them for safety violations.

Toronto police Staff Sgt. Frank Partridge said one truck police pulled over had a mechanical problem that wasn't difficult to spot.

"One of my officers … spotted this truck travelling at a slow rate of speed," said Partridge. "There was a hose just underneath the cab spewing out a thick white smoke," he said.

During the inspection, police found that the truck's safety sticker had expired.

Police told CBC they're also looking for vehicles that are over-loaded. They're also checking drivers to make sure they're not too tired to drive.

The inspections are targeting all types of commercial vehicles, including trucks and taxis.